“I am not so vain as to fancy it possible that you should accept that as a reward, Miss Vincent,” he replied.
The young lady gave him a glance that was meant to read his inmost soul. Then she laughed.
“We must really hasten back to good Mamma Crawford,” she said, with a seriousness that seemed more frivolous than her frivolity. “Every one will be wondering where we have been.”
“Lucky that you will be able to tell them,” remarked Oswin.
“How?” she said quickly, almost apprehensively.
“Why, you know you can say 'Over hill, over dale,' and so satisfy even the most sceptical in a moment.”
Miss Lottie made a little pause, then laughed again; she did not think it necessary to make any reply.
And so they all went down by the little track along the edge of the ravine, and the great Peak became darker above them as the twilight dwindled into evening.